Friday 22nd was a huge day – we spent most of it at the hotel – enjoying a swim and then a massage.
The departure experience from Jakarta was improved by us finding the smallest, grottiest, dirtiest, smelliest, cockroach-infested, fantastic “snack bar” that sold beer. The only one in the whole airport. We met a South African guy who now lives in Adelaide and enjoyed a few beers and stories with him prior to our departure.
When we arrived in Amsterdam we realised how crazy we were to think we could “back pack”. Both of us struggled with our loads. Remember, Michael’s smells like dead fish! After several goes at re- packing them, we made our way to my nephew’s (James) and his Dutch wife’s (Laurentine) home near a main canal in the old, stylish part of Amsterdam – just near Anne Frank’s house. We had a wonderful meal with them and got some great tips of “must sees” in this city.
After finding the house boat we had hired for three nights we headed off to find a pub. We struck gold before too long and enjoyed several of the local beers including Heinikin and De Kononick.
Weather was fantastic – the whole town a buzz for the weekend. We found a very busy restaurant and ate pizza for dinner before any early night.
Jane and Mick's Holiday Adventures 
Did Dad write that post? Too many references to beer….
We love your blog, we have just flown in from Fiji, after 4 weeks and I had tried really hard to contact you with James and Laurentine’s contacts for you to get in touch, and to my delight I heard via mum that you had meet up. I am really jealous I which I was with you, I really miss seeing the kids.
We had a most unreal trip to Fiji staying at the Girls Home and getting paint from one end of the house to the other with a few little children that have now matching hair colour (to the walls). We had our weekends back at Denarua staying with some great mates and saw so many other friends.
We snorkeled the reefs off the mainland for 2 days in a row, the weather turned to windy and cloudy so a good book took our time up. We were so pleased to get home, (a bit over the Fiji thing) and now rugged up at home with Radhika (home for mid semester break) and Justin and Brooke and yes Bella the cat.
We went to Justin and Brookes new property yesterday for lunch on the porch, Justin is in the process of building rooms into the shed which already on the property. He is doing a very fine job with assistance of Shane Boyd (Ellen and Brian’s son)
Look forward to keeping in touch